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History of Oliver Springs, TN Government
Charter, List of Mayors
From The Story of Oliver Springs, Tennessee and It's People Vol. III, by
Snyder E. Roberts
Oliver Springs Town Charters
From the coming of Major Moses Winters in 1799, more than one hundred years had
elapsed before the Oliver Springs community leaders chose to establish a city government.
Although Colonel John G. Scott and the Poplar Creek Mining and
Manufacturing Company had platted the town with lots, wide streets, and alleys in the
early 1800's, steps were not taken for local government until 1903. A few excerpts from
the first town charter are as follows:
Chapter 464, House Bill No. 759 is captioned "An Act to Incorporate the town
of Oliver Springs, in Roane, Morgan and Anderson Counties, and defines the rights, powers,
etc. of said town." The Act consists of nineteen sections and was passed on April 14,
1903, and signed by Governor James B. Frazier April 15, 1903. Section No. 2 gives the
metes and bounds for the corporate limits. No map has been found for this boundary. The
city limits contained 205 acres in Roane, 110 acres in Anderson, and about 30 acres in
Morgan County.
Section No. 3 specified that the Mayor, Recorder, and six Aldermen be elected by
qualified voters (who had to own real estate within the town) on the second Wednesday of
May 1903, and every two years thereafter.
Section No. 4 names the town officers: HENRY SIENKNECHT, Mayor;
ASA
K. SHELTON, DAVID C. RICHARDS, WILLIAM C. WALKER, EVAN D. PHILLIPS,
CHARLES H. MCCARTT, and WILLIAM D. PEAK, Aldermen, T. E. MCBEE, Recorder; and HENRY "PONY" CASH, Marshal.
Section No. 7 enumerates the powers and duties of the Board of mayor and Aldermen.
Section No. 12 sets forth the powers of the Town Marshal to enforce the state laws
and town ordinances with jurisdiction extending one-half mile beyond the corporate limits.
Section No. 15. The corporation maximum tax levy was twenty-five cents per one
hundred dollars of taxable property.
First Charter Repealed
No town records are available, but before it could spread its wings, the
Legislature passed an Act repealing the original charter. No explanation has been found
for this action. The repealing Act may be found in Chapter 346, House Bill No. 821,
"An Act to repeal Chapter 759 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1903 entitled,
"An act to incorporate the Town of Oliver springs, etc.'"
Second Charter
Although no official town records are extant, the town of Oliver Springs
functioned on a limited basis under the first charter. However, the repealing Act was
coordinated with an Act providing for the new town charter.
Chapter 247, House Bill no 95, captioned: "An Act to incorporate the Town of
Oliver Springs, in the Counties of Roane and Anderson [not Morgan], and to provide for the
election of officers, prescribe their duties, define their powers, and for other
purposes." This Act was signed by Governor John I. Cox April 8, 1905.
The new charter contained nineteen Sections which set forth the general powers of
the town, and the duties and powers of its officers. Section No. 2 outlined the town's
boundaries to enclose a smaller area with 175 acres in Roane County, 75 acres in Anderson,
and none in Morgan County.
This charter enumerates some 23 powers of the Council--taxes, regulate police,
control of animals, regulate the sale of intoxicating liquors, etc. and to erect a
workhouse or calaboose.
Section No 15: The men who compose the Board of Mayor and Aldermen of the Town of
Oliver Springs, on the first day of January 1905: BENJAMIN S. DIGGS,
Mayor; EVAN D. PHILLIPS, CHARLES MCCARTT, DAVID C. RICHARDS, A.
LINK WILLIAMS, WILLIAM C. WALKER, WILLIAM B. WILEY, shall continue to be and act
as the Board of Mayor and Aldermen of the Town of Oliver Springs until their successors
are elected and qualified under this Act which said election shall be held on the first
Thursday in May, 1905.
Various amendments were effected during the next few years, and Ordinances were
passed by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen as they carried out their many duties and
responsibilities of the town government.
Former Mayors
- Dr. Henry Sienknecht
- Benjamin S. Diggs, January 1, 1905
- Evan D. Phillips, May 1905, re-elected 1907.
- Clement J. "Clem" Jones, 1909. Later Mayor of Athens, TN
From the end of Jones' term until 1921, the names of the Mayors and their dates of
tenure cannot be fully documented. It is known that Charles Gerding, Jr., Andrew J.
"Jack" Queener, and possibly Charles McCartt served as Mayor during this period.
- James H. Smith, 1921, re-elected in 1923. Also Agent for Southern
RR
- Albert A. LaRue, 1925.
- Thomas Abston, 1927
- Martin E. Brown, 1931, re-elected 1935
- John Clyde Freels, 1933
- Leonard Earl Ladd, 1937. Attorney
- Dr. Herman E. Heacker, 1939
- Edward A. West, Pharmacist
- Arvil W. Anderson, 1943, 1945, 1951, 1953, and 1955 for a total of
five terms.
- Garvan W. Walls 1947, again in 1965.
- Gerald Gerding Hannah, 1949.
- Rev. Samuel Clyde Duggans, 1957 and 1959.
- Harry Vann, Sr. 1961, 1963. During his administration
on May 7, 1964, an ordinance of annexation for the Tuppertown, Kellytown,
and Norwood areas was passed on final reading. This increased the town's population
from 1163 to 3606.
- Junior Hawkins Burney, 1967, 69, 71. In July 1967 the
town was hit by the flood of Indian Creek and Mineral Springs Branch. TVA's
preliminary estimate of the flood damage was one million dollars--later scaled down to
about half that amount. The TVA Board entered into an agreement with Mayor Burney
and his Aldermen to initiate a flood and general revitalization development program.
1967, 69, 71. In July 1967 the
town was hit by the flood of Indian Creek and Mineral Springs Branch. TVA's
preliminary estimate of the flood damage was one million dollars--later scaled down to
about half that amount. The TVA Board entered into an agreement with Mayor Burney
and his Aldermen to initiate a flood and general revitalization development program.
- Ernest Phillips 1973, 75. Mayor Phillips reigned in 1976 to
accept the position of City Administrator.
- Charles Johnson 1976
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